Ojai councilwoman: 'Hansel & Gretel' lights not welcome here

If Councilwoman Carol Smith has her way, string lights will be outlawed in Ojai if displayed outside the holiday season.

As the Ojai City Council grapples with implementing a new "dark skies" ordinance tentatively approved Feb. 26, Smith has been vocal in her opposition to the small twinkling lights. The ordinance is aimed at reducing light pollution.

"No more Hansel-and-Gretel look," she said at a council meeting last week. "They look like Christmas lights."

The rest of the council said it would be amenable to considering an outright ban on string or Tivoli lights, which currently are allowed only if they receive a design review committee permit.

The council also struggled over the issue of porch lighting. After a 90-minute discussion, it directed Community Development Director Rob Mullane to bring back a revised ordinance that shields and controls the wattage of porch lights and prohibits string lights except from late November to early January.

That could outlaw lights such as those at Suzanne's Cuisine restaurant, which has wrapped trees with twinkling white lights. Mullane said Suzanne's lights could stay, because the ordinance is not retroactive, although they would have to be turned off at 10 p.m. — the curfew for "nonconforming" lighting.

George Berg, who has worked with wife Gail Topping to reduce light pollution in the Ojai Valley, said a string light ban wasn't included in their proposed ordinance, although it has been a topic of discussion among dark sky advocates.

"In other cities and situations, there have been controversies. But the (Ojai) planning commission felt it was better not to include those in the first version of the ordinance," Berg said.

Councilwoman Carlon Strobel said she's not opposed to string lights, although there should be limits. "I think sometimes in landscaping those Tivoli lights are attractive. I would like to see use of a different type of bulb that doesn't have the glare. I'd rather see us go to a more visually pleasant light," Strobel said.

Councilwoman Betsy Clapp expressed concern that the new ordinance is actually more permissive on front porch lighting.

Mullane said the ordinance is designed to be as easy as possible for residents. Mullane said that under the old rules, any time a front porch light fixture is replaced, building owners are supposed to get a permit.

Mullane said his biggest concern with implementation of the ordinance is a lack of resources — the city has only one, part-time code enforcement officer. He said community outreach would be a more effective tool.

"We just don't have full-time code enforcement staff. We don't have the ability to address this on a comprehensive citywide basis," he said, adding the city is trying to move beyond complaint-driven enforcement, which has pitted neighbor against neighbor in some areas. "What happens is we get a complaint and go out and investigate. We look at the block and try to get everybody on the block to comply."